surmise

[ser-mahyz, ser-mahyz, sur-mahyz]

verb (used with object)

surmised, surmising 

1. to think or infer without certain or strong evidence; conjecture; guess.

   Synonyms: suspect, suppose, imagine

verb (used without object)

surmised, surmising 

1. to conjecture or guess.

noun

1. a matter of conjecture.

2. an idea or thought of something as being possible or likely.

3. a conjecture or opinion.

surmise

verb

1. (when tr, may take a clause as object) to infer (something) from incomplete or uncertain evidence

noun

1. an idea inferred from inconclusive evidence

Other Word Forms

• surmisable adjective
• surmiser noun
• surmisedly adverb
• unsurmised adjective
• unsurmising adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of surmise¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English surmisen, from Anglo-French surmis(e), Middle French “accused,” past participle of surmettre “to accuse,” from Latin supermittere “to throw upon,” from super super- + mittere “to let go, send”

Word History and Origins

Origin of surmise¹

C15: from Old French, from surmettre to accuse, from Latin supermittere to throw over, from _super- + mittere to send

Synonym Study

See guess.

Example Sentences

A senior administration official said Lavrov’s comments confirm what the administration already surmised: Russia is still not willing to make a deal.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In reading these words, you may have surmised that there are a few differences between my husband’s upbringing and my own.

Read more on Salon

As you may have surmised, the Columbia Compromise is a preemptive, non-negotiated capitulation in advance to MAGA-style tyranny, in hopes of maintaining a semblance of independence while fending off an all-out assault.

Read more on Salon

She surmises that the aim was "to connect people and bring them to Kpop".

Read more on BBC

Yet, with how much time these commenters seem to have to seek out unemployment announcements, one has to surmise that internet trolls aren’t exactly the most gainfully employed members of society themselves.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• deduce 
• hypothesize 
• infer 
• opine 
• presume 
• pretend 
• speculate 
• theorize